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My puppy has a white spot on its face. Could it be ringworm or not?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Labrador Retriever | Male | unneutered | 3 months and 23 days old | 18 lbs

Hi my puppy has a lesion on his face (cheek area) and it's the size of a quarter with a whitish color to it. I'm not sure if it's ringworm or not

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3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Lauren Jones VMD

Veterinarian

Published on July 14th, 2017

The lesion on Chance's face could be due to ringworm, mange, or a bacterial skin infection. The only way to differentiate between these conditions is with diagnostic testing. Since ringworm and one type of mange (Sarcoptic mange) are contagious to people and other pets, I recommend taking Chance to his vet. The vet will be able to perform a fungal culture (to check for ringworm), a skin scrape (to look for the mites causing mange), and a skin cytology (to look for bacteria). From there, medication can be started. I hope that all goes well!

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    Answered By Dr. Leigh, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on September 4th, 2017

    He could have a bacterial infection, demodex (mite), or possibly ringworm. You could bathe him with a medicated puppy shampoo and see if that helps. Otherwise, he should be examined by a vet to determine the cause and treat. Your vet can do a skin scrape, culture, and cytology, if needed, to help diagnose and then prescribe medications to treat.

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    Answered By Dr. Dayna, DVM, CVA

    Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

    Published on March 24th, 2018

    Those look like a skin infection called pyoderma which is really common in puppies , especially pugs. Since it seems to be getting worse you may want to have him evaluated by your veterinarian again. Topical n medication or antibiotics may be recommended. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

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Without seeing it in person, I can't say if it's mange or ringworm for sure. Ringworm is typically a circular lesion that is red in color. Mange can be demodex or sarcoptic, but again without seeing him in person, I don't know which type it is. At the vet, they will likely use a Wood's lamp to see if the spot is ringworm, as infected hairs can fluoresce under the ultraviolet light. Not all cases of ringworm will do this, so a fungal culture may be needed. To diagnose mange, the vet takes skin scrapings, and looks at the sample under a microscope. The demodex mite is typically easily seen with a skin scraping, while it can take several skin scrapings to find the sarcoptic mite. Once the cause is found, the vet can discuss treatment with you. Good luck at the vet's tomorrow!
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I seen this on my puppy today what is it ?
That looks like it could be an infection or it could be from ringworm or allergies. This is something that should be checked out by a vet so it can be diagnosed and treated properly. Give your vet a call to make an appointment for your puppy. Best of luck.
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